لَعَمرُكَby your life ماnot حُزنيmy sorrow لِمالٍfor wealth فَقَدتَهُyou lost it
لَعَمرُكَ ما حُزني لِمالٍ فَقَدتَهُ
وَلاnor خانَbetrayed عَهديmy covenant فيin الحَياةِlife حَبيبُa loved one
وَلا خانَ عَهدي في الحَياةِ حَبيبُ
By your life, my sorrow is not for wealth you have lost,
By your life, my sorrow is not for wealth I have lost,
Nor has a loved one betrayed my covenant in life.
Nor has a beloved betrayed my trust in this life.
وَلَكِنَّنيbut I أَبكيweep وَأَندُبُand mourn زَهرَةًa flower
وَلَكِنَّني أَبكي وَأَندُبُ زَهرَةً
جَناهاhe plucked her وَلوعٌone enamored بِالزُهورِwith flowers لَعوبُfrivolous
جَناها وَلوعٌ بِالزُهورِ لَعوبُ
But I weep and mourn a flower
Rather, I weep and lament for a flower,
Plucked by a frivolous lover of flowers.
Plucked by one obsessed with blooms, frivolous in his play.
رَآهاhe saw her يَحُلُّunfastens الفَجرُdawn عَقدَthe knot of جُفونِهاher eyelids
رَآها يَحُلُّ الفَجرُ عَقدَ جُفونِها
وَيُلقيand casts عَلَيهاupon her تِبرَهُits raw gold فَيَذوبُso it melts
وَيُلقي عَلَيها تِبرَهُ فَيَذوبُ
He saw her as dawn unfastened the knot of her eyelids,
He saw her as the dawn was untying the knot of her eyelids,
And cast its gold upon her, and it melted,
And casting its liquid gold upon her to melt.
وَيَنفُضُand shakes off عَنfrom أَعطافِهاher sides النورَthe light لُؤلُؤاًpearls
وَيَنفُضُ عَن أَعطافِها النورَ لُؤلُؤاً
مِنَof الطَلِّdew ماnot ضُمَّتwere drawn shut عَلَيهِover it جُيوبُpockets
مِنَ الطَلِّ ما ضُمَّت عَلَيهِ جُيوبُ
And light shook from her sides pearls
Shaking the light from her petals like scattered pearls
Of dew that no pockets had ever enclosed.
Fashioned from dew held close within her folds.
فَعالَجَهاso he worked her loose حَتّىuntil اِستَوَتshe settled فيin يَمينِهِhis right hand
فَعالَجَها حَتّى اِستَوَت في يَمينِهِ
وَعادَand he returned إِلىto مَغناهُhis dwelling وَهوَwhile he was طَروبُjoyful
وَعادَ إِلى مَغناهُ وَهوَ طَروبُ
So he worked her loose until she lay in his right hand,
He worked at her until she settled in his right hand,
And returned to his dwelling, full of joy.
And returned to his dwelling, flushed with delight.
وَشاءَand he willed فَأَمسَتso she became فيin الإِناءِthe vessel سَجينَةًa prisoner
وَشاءَ فَأَمسَت في الإِناءِ سَجينَةً
لِتَشبَعَso that they may be sated مِنهاon her أَعيُنٌeyes وَقُلوبُand hearts
لِتَشبَعَ مِنها أَعيُنٌ وَقُلوبُ
And at his whim she became a prisoner in a vase,
He decreed it, so she became a prisoner in a vase,
So that eyes and hearts might feast on her.
That eyes and hearts might feast upon her beauty.
ثَوَتshe dwelt بَينَbetween جُدرانٍwalls كَقَلبِlike the heart of مُضيمِهاher oppressor
ثَوَت بَينَ جُدرانٍ كَقَلبِ مُضيمِها
تَلَمَّسُshe searches فيهاin them مَنفَذاًan opening فَتَخيبُso she is disappointed
تَلَمَّسُ فيها مَنفَذاً فَتَخيبُ
She dwelt between walls like her oppressor's heart,
She dwells between walls as hard as her captor's heart,
Searching them for an opening, only to be disappointed.
Groping for an exit, but finding only despair.
فَلَيسَتso she does not تُحييgreet الشَمسَthe sun عِندَat شُروقِهاits rising
فَلَيسَت تُحيي الشَمسَ عِندَ شُروقِها
وَلَيسَتnor does she تُحييgreet الشَمسَthe sun حينَwhen تَغيبُit sets
وَلَيسَت تُحيي الشَمسَ حينَ تَغيبُ
She does not greet the sun at its rising,
She no longer greets the sun at its rising,
Nor does she greet the sun when it sets.
Nor does she bid the sun farewell when it sets.
وَمَنand whoever عُصِبَتwere bound عَيناهُhis two eyes فَالوَقتُthen time كُلُّهُall of it
وَمَن عُصِبَت عَيناهُ فَالوَقتُ كُلُّهُ
لَدَيهِfor him وَإِنand even if لاحَappears الصَباحُmorning غُروبُsunset
لَدَيهِ وَإِن لاحَ الصَباحُ غُروبُ
And for one whose eyes are bound, all time
For one whose eyes are bound, all time becomes
Is sunset, even when morning dawns.
A perpetual sunset, even when the morning dawns.
لَهاfor her الحُجرَةُthe chamber الحَسناءُbeautiful فيin القَصرِthe palace إِنَّماyet
لَها الحُجرَةُ الحَسناءُ في القَصرِ إِنَّما
أَحَبُّdearer إِلَيهاto her رَوضَةٌa garden وَكَثيبُand a dune
أَحَبُّ إِلَيها رَوضَةٌ وَكَثيبُ
She has the palace's beautiful chamber, yet
She has a beautiful chamber within the palace, yet
A garden and a dune are dearer to her.
A meadow and a wild dune are far dearer to her.
وَأَجمَلَand lovelier مِنthan نورِthe light of المَصابيحِthe lamps عِندَهاin her eyes
وَأَجمَلَ مِن نورِ المَصابيحِ عِندَها
حَباحِبُfireflies تَمضيgo فيin الدُجىthe darkness وَتَؤوبُand return
حَباحِبُ تَمضي في الدُجى وَتَؤوبُ
And lovelier to her than the light of lamps
And more beautiful to her than the glow of lamps,
Are fireflies that go through the darkness and return.
Are fireflies drifting to and fro in the darkness.
وَمِنand than فَتَياتِthe girls of القَصرِthe palace يَرقُصنَthey dance حَولَهاaround her
وَمِن فَتَياتِ القَصرِ يَرقُصنَ حَولَها
عَلىto نَغَماتٍmelodies كُلُّهُنَّeach of them عَجيبُwondrous
عَلى نَغَماتٍ كُلُّهُنَّ عَجيبُ
And lovelier than the palace girls dancing around her
And better than the palace maidens dancing around her
To melodies, each one wondrous,
Swaying to melodies that are all wondrous,
تُراقِصُdancing أَغصانُthe branches of الحَديقَةِthe garden بِكرَةًin the early morning
تُراقِصُ أَغصانُ الحَديقَةِ بِكرَةً
وَلِلريحِand the wind has فيهاin it جَيئَةٌa coming وَذهوبُand a going
وَلِلريحِ فيها جَيئَةٌ وَذهوبُ
Is the dancing of garden branches in the early morning,
Is the dance of garden branches in the early morn,
While the wind comes and goes through the garden.
With the wind weaving back and forth through them.
وَأَجمَلَand lovelier مِنهُنَّthan them الفَراشاتُthe butterflies فيin الضُحىthe forenoon
وَأَجمَلَ مِنهُنَّ الفَراشاتُ في الضُحى
لَهاthey have كَالأَمانيlike hopes سِكنَةٌstillness وَوُثوبُand leaping
لَها كَالأَماني سِكنَةٌ وَوُثوبُ
And lovelier than those girls are butterflies in the morning light;
And lovelier than the maidens are butterflies in the forenoon,
Like hopes, they have their stillness and their leaps.
Resting and fluttering like fleeting hopes.
وَأَبهىand more splendid مِنَthan الديباجِbrocade وَالخَزِّand silk fabric عِندَهاin her eyes
وَأَبهى مِنَ الديباجِ وَالخَزِّ عِندَها
فَراشٌa bed مِنَof العُشبِthe grass الخَضيلِlush and moist رَطيبُfresh
فَراشٌ مِنَ العُشبِ الخَضيلِ رَطيبُ
And more splendid to her than brocade and silk
And more splendid to her than brocade and silk
Is a fresh bed of lush, moist grass.
Is a bed of lush, dew-dampened grass.
وَأَحلىand sweeter مِنَthan السَقفِthe ceiling المُزَخرَفِdecorated بِالدُمىwith figures
وَأَحلى مِنَ السَقفِ المُزَخرَفِ بِالدُمى
فَضاءٌan expanse تَشِعُّshine الشُهبُshooting stars فيهِwithin it رَحيبُspacious
فَضاءٌ تَشِعُّ الشُهبُ فيهِ رَحيبُ
And sweeter than a ceiling adorned with figures
And sweeter than a ceiling adorned with painted figures
Is a vast expanse where shooting stars shine.
Is the vast open space where shooting stars blaze.
تَحِنُّshe longs إِلىfor مَرأىthe sight of الغَديرِthe pool وَصَوتِهِand its sound
تَحِنُّ إِلى مَرأى الغَديرِ وَصَوتِهِ
وَتَحرُمُand she is deprived مِنهُof it وَالغَديرُwhile the pool قَريبُnear
وَتَحرُمُ مِنهُ وَالغَديرُ قَريبُ
She longs for the sight of the pool and its sound,
She yearns for the sight and sound of the brook,
Yet she is denied it, though the pool is near.
Deprived of it, though the brook flows nearby.
وَلَيسَand there is no لَهاfor her لِلبُؤسِowing to misery فيin نَسَمِthe breezes of الرُبىthe hills
وَلَيسَ لَها لِلبُؤسِ في نَسَمِ الرُبى
نَصيبٌa share وَلَمand not يَسكُنhas ceased لَهُنَّof theirs هُبوبُblowing
نَصيبٌ وَلَم يَسكُن لَهُنَّ هُبوبُ
And in her misery, in the breezes of the hills she has
In her misery, she has no share of the hills' breeze,
No share, though their blowing has never ceased.
Even though their blowing has not ceased.
إِذاwhen سُقِيَتshe is watered زادَتshe increases in ذُبولاًwithering كَأَنَّماas though
إِذا سُقِيَت زادَت ذُبولاً كَأَنَّما
يَرُشُّis sprinkled عَلَيهاupon her فيin المِياهِthe water لَهيبُflame
يَرُشُّ عَلَيها في المِياهِ لَهيبُ
When she is watered, she withers all the more, as though
When watered, she only withers further, as if
Flame were sprinkled upon her in the water.
Flame were being sprinkled upon her within the water.
وَكانَتand she used to قَليلُa little الطَلِّdew يُنعِشُrevives روحَهاher soul
وَكانَت قَليلُ الطَلِّ يُنعِشُ روحَها
وَكانَتand she used to بِمَيسورِwith a modest amount of الشُعاعِsunlight تَطيبُflourish
وَكانَت بِمَيسورِ الشُعاعِ تَطيبُ
Once, a little dew would revive her soul,
Yet once, the scantiest dew would revive her soul,
And she flourished with a modest share of sunlight.
And the faintest ray of light would heal her.
بِهاin her مِنfrom أُنوفِthe noses of الناشِقينَthose who sniff تَوَعُّكٌillness
بِها مِن أُنوفِ الناشِقينَ تَوَعُّكٌ
وَمِنand from نَظَراتِthe gazes of الفاسِقينَthe debauched نُدوبُscars
وَمِن نَظَراتِ الفاسِقينَ نُدوبُ
She suffers illness from the noses of those who sniff her,
She sickens from the noses of those who inhale her scent,
And scars from the gazes of the debauched.
And bears scars from the lecherous gazes cast upon her.
تَمَشّىcrept الضَنىwasting sickness فيهاthrough her وَأَيارُwhile May فيin الحِمىthe protected pasture
تَمَشّى الضَنى فيها وَأَيارُ في الحِمى
وَجَفَّتand she dried up وَسِربالُwhile the robe of الرَبيعِspring قَشيبُfresh and new
وَجَفَّت وَسِربالُ الرَبيعِ قَشيبُ
Wasting sickness crept through her, though it was May in the meadows,
Wasting away creeps through her, though it is May in the wild,
And she dried up while spring's robe was fresh and new.
She has dried up while the robe of Spring is fresh and new.
فَفيهاso in her كَمَقطوعِlike one with severed الوَريدَينِboth jugular veins صُفرَةٌyellow pallor
فَفيها كَمَقطوعِ الوَريدَينِ صُفرَةٌ
وَفيهاand in her كَمِصباحِlike the lamp of البَخيلِthe miser شُحوبُpallor
وَفيها كَمِصباحِ البَخيلِ شُحوبُ
So she has the yellow pallor of one with both jugular veins severed,
She bears the pallor of one whose veins are severed,
And the pallor of a miser's lamp.
And the dimness of a miser's flickering lamp.
أَياO زَهرَةَflower of الواديthe valley الكَئيبَةَsorrowful إِنَّنيindeed I
أَيا زَهرَةَ الوادي الكَئيبَةَ إِنَّني
حَزينٌsad لِماat what صِرتِyou have become إِلَيهِto it كَئيبُdesolate
حَزينٌ لِما صِرتِ إِلَيهِ كَئيبُ
O sorrowful flower of the valley, I
O sorrowful flower of the valley, I am indeed
Am sad and desolate at what you have become.
Grieved and depressed by what you have become.
وَأَكثَرَand the greatest of خَوفيmy fear أَنthat تَظُنّيyou think بَنيthe children of الوَرىhumankind
وَأَكثَرَ خَوفي أَن تَظُنّي بَني الوَرى
سَواءًall alike وَهُمthough they مِثلُlike النَباتِplants ضُروبُvarious kinds
سَواءً وَهُم مِثلُ النَباتِ ضُروبُ
And my greatest fear is that you may think humankind
My greatest fear is that you deem all mankind
All alike, though, like plants, they are of many kinds.
To be the same, when they are of different kinds, like plants.
وَأَعظَمَand the deepest of حُزنيmy sorrow أَنَّthat خَطبَكِyour ordeal بَعدَهُafter it
وَأَعظَمَ حُزني أَنَّ خَطبَكِ بَعدَهُ
مَصائِبُcalamities شَتّىvarious لَمnot yet تَقَعoccur وَخُطوبُand afflictions
مَصائِبُ شَتّى لَم تَقَع وَخُطوبُ
And my deepest sorrow is that after your ordeal
And my deepest sorrow is that your calamity will be followed
Lie many calamities and afflictions yet to come.
By various disasters and trials yet to fall.
سَيَطرَحُكِhe will throw you الإِنسانُthe man خارِجَoutside دارِهِhis house
سَيَطرَحُكِ الإِنسانُ خارِجَ دارِهِ
إِذاif لَمnot يَكُنthere is فيكِin you العَشِيَّةَby evening طيبُfragrance
إِذا لَم يَكُن فيكِ العَشِيَّةَ طيبُ
The man will throw you outside his house
Man will cast you out of his home,
If no fragrance remains in you by evening.
When, by evening, no fragrance remains in you.
فَتُمسينَso you will become لِلأَقذارِfor filth فيكِwithin you مَلاعِبٌplaygrounds
فَتُمسينَ لِلأَقذارِ فيكِ مَلاعِبٌ
وَفيand on صَفحَتَيكِyour two sides لِلنِعالِfrom sandals ضُروبُblows
وَفي صَفحَتَيكِ لِلنِعالِ ضُروبُ
Then you will become a playground for filth,
You will become a playground for filth,
And both your sides will suffer the blows of sandals.
And upon your face, the soles of shoes will strike.
إِسارُكِyour captivity ياO أُختَsister of الرَياحينِfragrant plants مُفجَعٌheartbreaking
إِسارُكِ يا أُختَ الرَياحينِ مُفجَعٌ
وَمَوتُكِand your death ياO بِنتَdaughter of الرَبيعِspring رَهيبُdreadful
وَمَوتُكِ يا بِنتَ الرَبيعِ رَهيبُ
Your captivity, O sister of fragrant blooms, is heartbreaking,
Your captivity, O sister of the basil, is a tragedy,
And your death, O daughter of spring, is dreadful.
And your death, O daughter of Spring, is dreadful.
وَلَكِنَّهاand yet it is الدُنياthe world وَلَكِنَّهُand yet it is القَضاfate
وَلَكِنَّها الدُنيا وَلَكِنَّهُ القَضا
وَهَذاand this لَعَمريby my life مِثلَlike تِلكَthat غَريبُstrange
وَهَذا لَعَمري مِثلَ تِلكَ غَريبُ
But such is the world, and such is fate,
But such is the world, and such is Fate;
And this, by my life, is as strange as that.
And this, by my life, is as strange as that.
فَكَمfor how many شَقِيَتhave suffered فيin ذيthis الحَياةِlife فَضائِلٌvirtues
فَكَم شَقِيَت في ذي الحَياةِ فَضائِلٌ
وَكَمand how many نَعِمَتhave prospered فيin ذيthis الحَياةِlife عُيوبُfaults
وَكَم نَعِمَت في ذي الحَياةِ عُيوبُ
For how many virtues have suffered in this life,
For how often do virtues suffer in this life,
And how many faults have prospered in this life!
While vices enjoy comfort and ease?
وَكَمand how many شِيَمٍtraits حَسناءَbeautiful عاشَتhave lived كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَكَم شِيَمٍ حَسناءَ عاشَت كَأَنَّها
مَساوِئٌevils يُخشىis feared شَرُّهاtheir harm وَذُنوبُand sins
مَساوِئٌ يُخشى شَرُّها وَذُنوبُ
And how many noble traits have lived as though they were
And how many noble traits have lived as though they were
Evils whose harm is feared, and sins.
Evils to be feared, and sins to be shunned.
Sol 6.1